Skip to main content
European Commission logo
English English
CORDIS - EU research results
CORDIS
CORDIS Web 30th anniversary CORDIS Web 30th anniversary
Content archived on 2024-06-18

Molding the Brain: Drosophila Neurotrophins in Brain Plasticity and Neurodegeneration

Objective

"The brain undergoes structural changes in response to experience, known as structural plasticity. Loss of plasticity most likely underlies brain changes associated with aging and neurodegeneration. Neurotrophins (NTs) are the main proteins linking structure and function in the human brain. Lack of NTs underlies neurodegeneration and NTs are the favored factors to promote nervous system repair. How NTs implement these functions, and how alterations in NT function lead to neurodegeneration, is not yet solved. The fruit fly Drosophila is a powerful model to study gene function. Investigation of NT functions in flies was only recently made possible by the discovery of the Drosophila NT family by the Hidalgo team. Here, I will investigate if Drosophila NTs (DNTs) underlie structural plasticity in the fly brain and if their loss leads to neurodegeneration. I aim to: 1) Define the circuits involving DNTs in the fly brain. 2) Identify the cellular events underlying brain developmental plasticity in response to DNTs. 3) Test if DNTs are involved in experience dependent plasticity in the adult. 4) Test if interfering with DNT functions in structural plasticity promotes neurodegeneration. The resulting findings will increase our understanding of brain evolution, function, formation and degeneration."

Call for proposal

FP7-PEOPLE-2010-IIF
See other projects for this call

Coordinator

THE UNIVERSITY OF BIRMINGHAM
EU contribution
€ 201 049,60
Address
Edgbaston
B15 2TT Birmingham
United Kingdom

See on map

Region
West Midlands (England) West Midlands Birmingham
Activity type
Higher or Secondary Education Establishments
Administrative Contact
May Chung (Ms.)
Links
Total cost
No data